2013-2014 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship
Start planning now to get your Free Throw Championship off to a running start.
The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship program is a great way to provide entertainment and enjoyment for the young people in your community. To start planning, there are steps that you should keep in mind:
The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is a competition designed for players to demonstrate the most basic basketball skill – the free throw. Open to all boys and girls in your community, ages 9-14, where each player will be allowed 3 practice shots and then 15 shots at the basket from the foul line at “12” feet from the basket for boys and girls, ages 9, 10 and 11 and “15” feet from the foul line for boys and girls, age 12, 13 and 14 at the Council level.
All subsequent levels require 3 practice shots and then 25 shots from the foul line at “12” feet from the basket for boys and girls, ages 9 to 11 and “15” feet from the foul line for boys and girls, age 12, 13 and 14 starting at the District, Chapter, and Regional/State levels.
The recommended time frame for the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Competition is:
Council Championship – Early January
District Championship – Early February
Chapter Championship – Mid or Late February
State/Regional Championship – Sunday, March 9, 2014
Implement the following tips and guidelines into your Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship to ensure fun, fairness, and success:
Order the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship Kit (#FT-KIT) using this order form. You can also use the order form in the Council Report Forms Booklet (#1436), or call the Department of Fraternal Services at 203-752-4270.
- 1. Schedule a date and location for the event. Contact schools, community centers and youth centers to reserve a basketball court. January is recommended for “council” competitions, February for “district” competitions, and March for “regional/state championships.
- 2. Sign ‘em up! Your Free Throw Championship Kit contains posters announcing the contest. Obtain permission to display them in schools, youth and community centers, and church vestibules. Make sure that the application entry forms/score sheets (#1598) is always accompanied with the participants copy of their “birth certificate” for age verification. The “cutoff date” for all participants is January 1st of the current year! Preregister contestants whenever possible.
- 3. Enlist help from schools. Ask school superintendents, principals and athletic directors to promote your championship. Use clip art included in the Free Throw Championship Kit to make flyers for distribution to students.
- 4. See if schools will hold preliminary competitions as part of their intramural or physical education programs. High school athletes should be reminded to check with their state high school athletic association about possible eligibility conflicts. Don’t forget to contact and invite the recreational and youth basketball programs in your community.
- 5. Build public interest. Use the sample press release in the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship Rules, Regulations, Tips and Information Guide (#1928) to announce your championship. Retype the release on council letterhead, giving the details of your championship. Deliver or send it, along with clip art logos, to the editors of both local news and sports sections.
- 6. After the competition, be sure to send out a press release announcing the winners. When sending press releases to radio or television stations always use the program’s official name: “Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship.”
- 7. Be sure to send in the Participation Report Form (FT-1). This form provides the Supreme Council with informational statistics, which enables the contest to continue to be a success.
The California State Free Throw Championship in 2014 will again be conducted in the three (3) regional format, Northern, Central and Southern, just as it was in 2013. The 2014 State/Regional Free Throw Competition is scheduled for Sunday, March 9, 2014 for all three (3) regions.
The details for the 2014 State/Regional Free Throw Championship “locations”, “times” and “schedules” to follow at a later date from each of your regional coordinators.
Please start preparing and promoting your “council level” Free Throw Championship program “90” to “60” days prior to your scheduled date in early January 2014, followed by your “District level” early February 2014, your “Chapter level” in mid or late February 2014 and we’ll see you at the 2014 State/Regional Free Throw Competition on Sunday, March 9, 2014!
Southern California:
Coordinator – Don Ehrman, Council 4922,
(714) 865-2496 nailbanger@juno.com
Chapters:
| 11. Mission High Desert | 14. Orange County |
| 12. Southern California | 15. Arrowhead Desert Valley |
| 13. San Gabriel Valley | 16. San Diego Diocese |